Method and apparatus for making glass sheets.



PATENTED 001". 15, 1907.-

No. 868,578. I

w. T. lncrroLLs. msmon AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GLASS SHEETS.

APPLIOATIOI FILED OUT. 13 1908.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3. m Mm PATENT'ED OCT. 15, 1907.

w. T. NIGHOLLS. METHOD AND APPARATUSPOR} MAKING GLASS SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT-13. 1906.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

8 n N. H. MW z m. w w 8 O Y QN D o 8m 8m Hm g q WIT" E8525 PATENTED OCT. 15,- 1907.

- w. T. NIGHOLLS. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GLASS SHEETS.

APPLICATION rum) 001313. 1906.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

I 1 l I I I l I l I 1 l I I I I I l I l I 4| WITNIC'IS "UNITED ST TES PATENT oFFron.

WVITQLIAM 'l. NICHOLLS, OF WELLSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TOTI'IE hfONARCH TILE COMPANY, Oll WESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OE WEST VTRGINIA.

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKINGL'GLASS SHEETS Specification of Letters Patent.

:Patented Oct, 15, 1907.

Application filed October 13 1906. Serial No. 338,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WlLmAM T. NICHOLLS, diWellsburg, Brooke county, W est Virginia, have invented a new and useful Method: of and Apparatus for Making My invention "has relation to the manufacture of glass sheets, and is designed to provide a novel method of and apparatus for such numufactm'oby means of which glass sheets having a smooth upper'surface .face either figured or plain, may be rapidly, cheaply and efficiently made. i

Heretofore it has been attempted to form glass sheets by placing a batch of glass upon a forming surface or to, bio and submitting it to the pressure of a verticallymovable platen, inoya-ble perpendicularly to the surface of the forming table. This method has not, however, been successful forthe reason that it is necessary to place the batch of glass at the center of the forming table or surface, in order that it may be uniformly spread and distributed as it is pressed by the platen. It has been found that the glass adheres or sticksto the platen at the place where it first comes in contact thoro- "with, which results in a rough or defective surface at the central portion of the formed sheet, although the marginal portions of the sheet may be perfectly smooth and finished. Inasmuch as th ed elective. 'portionof the sheet thus formed is at its center, the entire sheet is in many cases Worthless.

My invention is designed to overcome this objection,

and Jm'y novel method consists broadly in depositing the batchof molten glassupo'u one end portion of the table orforming surface and flushing the same over such the sheet saved. t

My invention alsb consists in the novel apparatus for. carrying this method into effect, all substamially as so hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 designates the frame of amachine which may be used in carrying out my improved method, and which sup- 2 but showing the platen and a lower sur ports a forming table orsurfacc 3. The frame is provided with the upwardly-cxtmuling checks or housings 2 between which is hinged or pivoted a flushing platen 4, by means of the hinge or pivot arms 5 securcd'to the. upper surface of said platen at its rear .edge portion. This platen .is raised and lowered by means of a toggle action consisting of the link (3 pivotally secured to the top of the platen at its central portion by a pin 8, and connected at its upper end to the arm 8 of an angle lever which is pivoted at 9 between the upper portions' of the frame cheeks or housings 2". ("onneeted to the other arm of this lever is an operating handle 10. ll A and 12 designate side guides or plates which determine the width of the sheet and between which the flushing platen works; One of these guides is hinged as at13 in order that it maybe turned backward l'y away from the forming surface to per1nit,thc removal of the sheet. 1,4

I is a latch arm attached to said hinged guide and normally secured by a latch 15 on one of the housings for the purpose of holding the guide in its working position. lfiis ahand operated latch level-mounted on the lever handle 10 and" adapted to engage a latch projection 17 on the housing for the purpose-of holding the pihtr r in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The table is preferably provided with an internal chamber 18 for the circulation of water or other cooling.

medium,'aud the flushing pl ten 4 is also preferably formed in two parts with an interposed gasket 19 to .form a similar cooling chambe: ll'l supplied by a flexible pipe 2t. 22 is. the outlet pipe for the chamber 20, said pipe being extended to a point near the forward end of the chamber, so that when the platen is raised there will be no drainage through this pipe-.-

Theoperation is as follows: A batch of glass is placed upon the rear portion of the table 3 as indicated in Fig. 3. The lever handle '10 is then raised tolower the platen. The )1';(SSU1(3 exerted "upon the glass by the platen is initially a flushing pressure which tends to flushv the glass forwardly over the entire forming surface, the

platen first coming in contact with the glass 'at ihat portion thereof which forms the rear edge. of thofinished sheet. As the platen approaches the limit of its down Ward movement, its lower surface becomes approximately parallel with the forming surface of the table, and

the sheet is pressedthereon. It willbe apparent that as the platen approaches this position, and the toggles become nearly straightened, that a very heavy pressure can be applied. After the sheet hasbecn thus formed, the platen is raised, the hinged, guide 12 is thrown back,

the sheet is removed irom the table, and a new batch of glass placed thereon.

The upper surface of the table may be formed with any desired pattern or figure, or it may be plain. In

the drawings, I have shown it as provided with transt p I v I. I Verse undercut recesses 3 adapted to, form undercut gections ot lecess-s opening toward the direction oi man ribs or projections on the lower face of the glass sheet, such as are conmionly employed on glass tiles.

While I have illustrated my invention as applied to ahand-operated machine, it is obvious that the flushing platen may be operated by any suitable power, and various other changes may be made by the skilled mechanic, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, since- 1. In the manufacture i glass sheets having undercut orojections, the methodW-hich consists in placing a batch of molftenglnss upon a forming surface having transverse undercuts openingtowardone end, applying flOtUr'Sdld end an oblique flushing pressure and graduallychanging the direction of pressure'to more nearly a perpendicular, lo force the glass downwardly and forwardly into the undercut recesses; substantially as described.

2'. In the manufacture of glass sheets having undercut projections. or recesses, the method which consists in placlng a batch of molten glass between formingsurfaces extending; at an angle to each other and moving at least one tho glass forwardly and downwardly into undercut proment substantially as described.

:3. In the manufacture of glass sheets, the method which consists in placing a batch of molten glass upon a forming surince having transverse undercut recesses, applying an oblique flushing pressure thereto from one end and gradually changing the direction of the pressure toward a perpendicular to the forming surface: substantially as described.

4. Apparatus, for the manufacture of glass sheets or tiles having. UBQBIUUE' projections, comprising a relatively stationary forming surface or table having undercut rocos -s extending transversely of-thc table and opening toward one end of the table, and a flushingplaten pivot ally mounted at the end of the table toward which the recesses open, and arranged to swing liack and forth long-i tudinall-y of the table; substantially as described.

5. in apparatus for the manufacture of glass sllccls. :1 pivoted platten having a water chamber therein, and cir culating pipes communicating with said chamber. one of said pipes extending to a point in said chamber near the end opposite the pivot-ed end; substantially as described.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. 

